Infatuation
by Sefilin
Summary: Ken finds himself looking at his teammate in a new way, which makes Youji and Aya reach certain decisions. Shounen ai.


Title: Infatuation  
Author: Sefilin (sefilin@yahoo.com)  
Teaser: Ken finds himself suddenly infatuated with Aya  
Pairing: YoujixAya   
Rating: PG  
Warnings/Spoilers: Shounen ai. No spoilers except for very minor Aya-chan   
and Asuka ones.  
URL: http://www.geocities.com/sefilin/  
  
=====================================================================  
  
Infatuation  
A Weiß Kreuz Shounen ai Fic  
By Sefilin  
  
======================================================================  
  
Weiß Kreuz copyright Project Weiß, Kyoko Tsuchiya, Koyasu Takehito, and   
associated parties  
  
==========  
  
It was raining and he was wet. And therefore miserable, cold and   
irritable, wishing he was finished with his deliveries so he could go   
home, dry off and get warm. A cup of hot chocolate would do wonders   
for all that ailed him, but first he had to make another few   
deliveries. Grumbling, he left the shelter of the building where he'd   
just dropped off a large arrangement of lilies and roses and headed   
once more into the downpour. His mumbled complaints continued as he   
started the delivery bike and pulled out into the light traffic that   
had decided rain was no bar to activity. At least no one was around to   
hear him. He could just imagine Aya staring at him in disapproval and   
Omi trying to cheer him up. Worse than that, though, would be Youji   
trying to outdo him.  
  
Ken wiped the moisture off his goggles and sighed, his mutterings   
drifting into silence. If only he was done so he could go home and make fun of Youji's complaining instead.  
  
A flash of red, startling in the dull misty grey of the rain   
caught his attention as he paused at traffic lights. Glancing across   
in that direction, he blinked.  
  
Aya?  
  
The redhead was standing beneath the awning of a small cafe,   
watching the rain coming down with a typically blank expression on his   
face. Then, without warning he stepped out into the rain, and, instead   
of moving off at a fast pace in whatever direction he was going, he   
hesitated. The hair that had caught his attention originally, was   
darker now, drowned by water that continued on down pale arms and   
cloth-covered chest, the black fabric of his t-shirt molding gleefully   
to his form.   
  
But what held the majority of Ken's attention was the tilt of   
Aya's face. It was turned towards the sky, marble planes softened into   
something approaching contentment. Ken had never seen such tranquility   
on his teammate's face and found himself unable to tear his eyes away,   
especially when a tiny smile drifted across lips that were suddenly   
lush in their relaxed state.  
  
Then Aya lowered his face, the smile still etched upon his lips   
and glowing softly in his eyes as he dug his hands deep into his   
pockets and began to walk away.  
  
Dazed and dizzy, Ken let out the breath he'd been holding in   
order to draw another, allowing fresh, cool air to wash away some of   
the dizziness, though not the sense of wonder he now felt. Nor did it   
ease the heavy beating of his heart as it tried to contain something   
unnamed.  
  
Aya was beautiful.  
  
Somehow, he'd never noticed that before.  
  
The redhead disappeared around a corner and Ken finally pulled   
his eyes away, a sigh emerging from somewhere deep within him that had   
just been touched by beauty and perhaps something else.   
  
It occured to him then, as he noticed he'd missed the green, to   
be glad Aya hadn't seemed to notice him and his face flushed in   
embarassment at the very thought.  
  
==========  
  
Ken lay back, his chest heaving as he stared up at the ceiling   
above him. The darkness of night hid the face that bloomed with bright   
colour and he shifted uncomfortably on the sheets, his skin more   
sensitive than usual. The vague stickiness spread across his thighs   
and chest unnerved him as it hadn't since the first time he'd had a wet   
dream years ago.   
  
But he had the most unpleasant feeling that his dream hadn't   
featured the same harmless fantasies as they had the night before. All   
he could remember, though, were strands of silky red hair running   
through his restless fingers overlaid by a voluptuous sensuality he   
hadn't felt since before Weiß. He closed his eyes against thought and   
drifted lightly in the pleasurable, though uncomfortable, haze of   
repleteness.   
  
An image grew against his eyelids, one that had become familiar   
over the past few hours. In amazing detail, Aya appeared, head tipped   
peacefully back as crystalline rain fell against his pale face.   
Abruptly sitting up, Ken swung his legs over the side of the bed and   
headed for the tiny bathroom in his apartment, swearing quietly to   
himself in an attempt to banish the image. He turned the shower on and   
stepped under the spray, washing away the physical evidence of the hazy   
dream, wishing he didn't know who it's redheaded shadow was - even if   
he didn't remember the dream itself.  
  
Why, he railed to himself mentally? Why after all this time did   
he suddenly find himself attracted to Aya when he never had before?   
Sure, he'd always been fascinated by the redhead who was so very   
different from himself, but he'd never had the smallest interest in   
sleeping with him; hadn't even liked him very much. And now, thanks to   
a single glimpse of an Aya he hadn't seen before, he was dreaming about   
the being the other assassin's lover.  
  
He sighed, leaning back against the wall of the shower, allowing   
the water to run over him, unimpeded now that he was clean. He'd   
ignore the desire he was currently feeling until it went away, he   
decided. If it had arrived suddenly, it could surely leave that way   
too, and in a week everything would be back to normal.  
  
Satisfied with his plan, Ken towelled himself dry and flung   
himself back on his bed in the hope of catching a few more hours of   
sleep before work the next morning. He closed his eyes and snuggled   
his damp hair into the pillow, curling into the duvet and making   
himself comfortable. He smiled to himself and allowed his mind to   
drift.  
  
It flew back to earlier that day when he'd arrived back at the   
Koneko no Sumi ie to hear that Omi had aced another test. Youji had   
been busy congratulating him and Ken had joined in, laughing at the   
younger assassin's slight embarrassment. It was good that Omi was   
still going to school, that he was conscientious enough to actually   
study in the hopes of being able to get into a good university and   
leave his current job behind. Of all of them, Omi was the most likely   
to be able to go back to having a normal life, even if he'd been Weiß   
for longer than the rest of them. He'd likely find it difficult to   
readjust, though no one would guess it by observing him.   
  
The rest of them were almost too old to start again and even if   
they could, what would they do? The only thing Ken would want to do   
was play soccer, maybe coach, and that was unlikely given his previous   
J-League experience. Someone would recognise him and mention that he   
was supposed to be dead and then where would he be?  
  
A few customers who had heard the news also made congratulatory   
murmurs in Omi's direction and Ken had laughed at the blush that   
bloomed on the youngest assassin's cheeks. Then he'd started as a   
presence moved up to stand behind him and a familiar voice had offered   
quiet congratulations before moving to don an apron.  
  
Ken had then followed Aya with his eyes, admiring the economy of   
graceful movement and play of light against bright hair...  
  
Ken abruptly shook his head and decided allowing his thoughts to   
drift wasn't a good idea if they were going to end up back with the   
redhead. So he got up, went for a run and, exhausted, dropped asleep   
as soon as he got back, images of red and violet still playing in his   
mind.  
  
==========  
  
"Ken likes you."  
  
Aya straightened, sending a confused and annoyed glance across at   
his blonde companion, noting the ever-present cigarette and wishing   
he'd put the damn thing out. They were working together in the shop,   
Omi off at school and Ken busy teaching the neighbourhood kids soccer,   
"What?"   
  
"Ken. He likes you."  
  
Aya ran a hand over the back of his neck as he gazed at Youji,   
hoping something would enlighten him as to where the other man was   
going with that, "So?"  
  
Youji's lips tilted up in the smile that Aya loved and hated, the   
one that said 'I know something you don't know' and let his eyes roam   
over the redhead's body, "He _likes_ you, Aya."  
  
Drawing his brows together even further, Aya stared back, "So?"  
  
  
A heavy sigh, "You really don't care, do you?"  
  
"Why should I? Ken can do whatever he likes as long as he   
doesn't bother me with it," and he went back to clipping the stems of   
the flowers he'd be using for an arrangement.  
  
He noticed the soft sounds of footsteps coming closer, but chose   
to ignore them, until a hand brushed his shoulder, sliding around his   
neck to settle on his other shoulder. He paused, Youji's arm lying   
lightly across his throat, and waited for whatever it was Youji felt he   
had to do or say.  
  
A warm breath of air hit his ear and he shivered involuntarily,   
drawing in a sharp lungful of air.  
  
"Aya..." lips brushed against his ear then drifted downwards,   
touching the vulnerable skin just below his ear and the nape of his   
neck. The shiver came again, stronger this time and Aya's shoulders   
tensed as he prepared to push his fellow assassin away.  
  
Abruptly Youji lifted a hand to cover his mouth, burying his face   
at the curve of shoulder and neck and pressed firmly against Aya's   
back. A tongue lapped at his skin and he sagged, faint prickles of ice   
and fire radiating out from that point of contact. His head fell back   
and the flower and clippers were dropped lightly onto the table as   
Youji tasted him again, his other hand drifting around to settle   
against Aya's abdomen.  
  
"Be nice to him."  
  
Aya's eyes fluttered in confusion, "Him?"  
  
A smile stretched Youji's mouth, "Ken."  
  
"Aa," Aya recalled Youji's statement of a few moments ago, but   
dismissed it again as unimportant. He wasn't interested in Ken.  
  
"But, you're mine, Aya. Remember that too," the words were   
breathed into his ear as Youji pulled away, swinging his chair around   
and brushing Aya's lips lightly, lingeringly with his own. Then Aya   
was watching his back as he walked back to the counter and picked up   
the cigarette he'd left on the ashtray, going back to reading his   
magazine and waiting for customers to show up.  
  
Aya sighed and turned himself back around, unsure how he felt   
about the statement of possession. There was a slight warmth in his   
chest combined with a coldness in the pit of his stomach and a   
tightness in his throat. The ambiguity was something he'd been getting   
used to ever since he'd slept with Youji the first time. He still   
didn't know whether he liked their relationship, whether he wanted it   
or even whether he wanted Youji, but he tolerated it because he wasn't   
sure if he didn't. Until he was sure one way or the other, he expected   
things would go on much the way they had been.  
  
A few clips later, he inserted the red peony in between the dark   
fronds of green and the lighter strands of grass that spread out like a   
corona above them. He contemplated the precise arrangement of flora   
and sighed, not completely happy with it, but it would do for a shelf   
arrangement. Perfection wasn't something you could attain, except by   
luck, in a business where time was at a premium.   
  
There was the occasional afternoon where things were quiet enough   
for him to sit down and practice the art Shion had first taught him.   
It was at such times, like when he performed kata with his katana, that   
everything dropped away and he lived in a state of harmony. Body and   
mind as one - it was very close to being extacy for him. Aya heaved an   
internal sigh; not that it ever lasted very long. As soon as he   
returned to himself, the rage and emptiness returned.  
  
Even Takatori's death and Aya-chan's waking hadn't helped with   
that.  
  
Standing, Aya moved to the window, removing a previous   
arrangement and putting the new one in its place. He took the old   
arrangement and set it aside, knowing Aya-chan would want it, before   
moving back to the table and clearing up the mess of grass fronds,   
leaves and pieces of stem. Then he swept the floor, as conscientious   
in his work here as when hunting the darkness.  
  
Youji finished his cigarette and flicked the ash onto the tile   
floor without care for the fact that Aya had just swept there, absorbed   
as he was in one of the magazines he regularly bought. Clenching his   
teeth, the redhead glared for long moments until Youji looked up   
questioningly.  
  
"Aya?"  
  
He stared for a moment, wondering why Youji persisted in smoking   
inside, then his lip curled slightly and he shook his head in disgust   
before sweeping over that spot again. He'd long ago decided that   
verbally complaining to Youji was completely unhelpful, but stoically   
cleaning up after him had the affect of - occasionally - making him   
feel guilty enough to help. And this seemed to be one of those times,   
because he sighed and dumped the ashes from the ashtray into the   
rubbish before finding a cloth and wiping down the benches. When Aya   
began to restock supplies, Youji joined in with a single long-suffering   
look cast in his direction.   
  
Careful to keep his tiny smirk to himself, Aya ignored the look   
and continued on with his work. Then Ken walked back inside, trailing   
tiny bits of grass cuttings across the floor and he growled, "Watch   
it!"  
  
Ken froze and sent him a startled glance, saw what he was doing,   
looked back at the trail he was leaving and ducked his head, "Ah,   
gomen, Aya."  
  
He quickly rushed across the shop and out the back, leaving Aya   
contemplating the trail of grass and the pleasure possible in violence   
against inconsiderate workmates. Then the broom was being taken from   
him and Ken apologised again while beginning to clean up the mess he'd   
made.  
  
Speechless, Aya watched as Ken proceeded to sweep the entire shop   
again, a slight blush painting his cheeks when he noticed Aya's   
attention. Behind him, Youji growled softly and tried to slam his   
magazine shut, without real success.   
  
==========  
  
Youji couldn't decide whether to deck Ken or shake Aya and the   
indecision was frustrating him as much as it's cause.  
  
The brunette had once again begun his recent habit of being   
incredibly helpful to the redhead, taking over his chores and being   
sickeningly agreeable whenever Aya said, or even indicated, his desire   
for something to happen.  
  
That wouldn't have bothered Youji overly much, would in fact have   
amused him - to have someone else so blatantly infatuated with his   
lover - but when Aya started responding, it went beyond a joke. The   
beautiful redhead seemed baffled by the other's behaviour and had   
started watching him as he swept the floor or took over the creation of   
more of the mundane arrangements, leaving Aya with more time to work   
with his precious Ikebana. And he had been working on them, in between   
sending puzzled glances at Ken.  
  
Like it wasn't obvious what Ken was doing.   
  
The problem was, Aya was oblivious enough that it was actually   
possible he _didn't_ know. Omi certainly did and was completely   
puzzled by the sudden change in the dynamics of the group. Youji   
wasn't sure, yet, whether Ken realised what he was doing, but at this   
point in time it didn't matter. Youji just wanted him to stop so Aya   
would go back to being his and no one elses.  
  
Which frustrated him even more. He hadn't felt this possessive   
over anyone since Asuka, and even then she hadn't bought out quite this   
level of jealousy and protectiveness in him. Maybe it was because he   
had always known where he stood with Asuka, but Aya remained a mystery   
to him, to the point where he wasn't certain whether he was wanted or   
merely tolerated.  
  
The faint nausea that assaulted him when he thought of the later   
made him believe he'd fallen further than he'd thought... much further   
than he'd thought. Only a few days ago, Youji had been completely   
certain he only spent time with Aya for the uncomplicated sex, but   
everything had changed the first time he'd seen Aya glance at Ken with   
that bewildered look in his violet eyes. Suddenly, he no longer had   
control over the relationship - beyond being able to arouse Aya - and   
he wanted that control desperately.  
  
Ken stole another glance at Aya, who had become absorbed in his   
arrangement again and then shook his head, anger sparking in his eyes   
as he turned away, and continued watering the fragile flowers lined up   
on the shelf before him. Youji gritted his teeth, pulling the   
cigarette from between his lips and jabbing the butt angrily into the   
ashtray before standing, about to set Ken straight about a few things.  
  
"Youji-kun?"  
  
The quiet voice coming form his side checked him and he glanced   
down into the deep blue eyes of the youngest member of Weiß. The   
concern and confusion there bled the anger from his chest and he   
sighed, "Yeah?"  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
Youji glanced briefly at Aya and Ken again, seeing Ken bending to   
pick up a knarled twig that had fallen to the floor. Aya glanced up as   
it was placed by his hand and he gave a small nod of thanks, picking it   
up and examining it briefly before placing it precisely within the   
vase. Ken lingered for a few seconds longer before turning away,   
muttering to himself and Youji looked back at Omi and shrugged, "Sure."  
  
But there was the hot prick of bitterness in his throat and he   
rose abruptly before stalking out of the flower shop, ignoring Omi's   
exclamation of surprise and the silence of the other two men. He   
walked out into the sunlight, squinting briefly before shoving his   
sunglasses further up his nose and turned to the right, moving along   
the street blindly as his thoughts whirled. He was jealous, in love   
and wanted Ken gone. And he had no idea what to do about anything.  
  
Jealousy wasn't something he had experience at dealing with, so   
he was trying to repress it as much as possible. He had slightly more   
experience with being in love, but without the certainty of it's   
return, he was restless. Ken was a team member and wouldn't disappear,   
either, and with the way things were going there was the possibility   
that Aya would fall in love with him.   
  
Youji knew he wasn't the easiest person to love, that he could   
irritate people with ease - something he generally prided himself on -   
he was selfish and his many vices didn't exactly inspire trust. But,   
once he'd chosen to love, there was nothing in the world that could   
change that, nothing he wouldn't do for the one he loved. He thought   
back to the years spent with Asuka, his fidelity and the years spent   
mourning her. Only now could he say he'd moved on and even then, Asuka   
remained enshrined within his heart.  
  
It occured to him to wonder if Aya realised that. Thinking back,   
he couldn't recall a time when he'd made it plain to the redhead that   
he was loved; but then, he hadn't been entirely aware of that either.   
  
So maybe now would be a good time to let him know.  
  
Youji paused on the pavement, resolve beginning to rise within   
him. He and Aya had never done the things couples usually did; they'd   
never dated, never just spent time together. In fact, Youji frowned,   
the only thing they'd done that was different from before they began   
this, was the sex - and Aya always left before dawn.   
  
He was going to change that.  
  
He was going to court Aya, seduce his mind and heart, convince   
him that he could be as thoughtful as Ken and make Aya to fall in love   
with _him_. A predatory grin pulled at his lips as he slipped into a   
nearby coffee bar and began to sketch out his plans - beginning with   
getting to know Aya better. He was sure the redhead would appreciate   
that.  
  
==========  
  
"Bakabakabakabakabakabaka...Baka!"  
  
Ken leaned back against the door after letting himself into his   
apartment and immediately began to berate himself for his behaviour.   
He knew Omi and possibly the others had noticed his almost-involuntary   
change in behaviour over the past few weeks and he hated that his   
conflict was visible to one person that he knew of. But if one person   
could see it then it was likely that others also could and he didn't   
think he could stand it if Aya, of all people, found out. That would   
just be too embarassing.  
  
It had been bad enough when Omi had cornered him and asked,   
outright, whether he was in love with Aya. He spent the next half hour   
blushing beet red as he stuttered through the confession of interest,   
though he was positive he hadn't quite reached love yet. Omi had   
sighed at the end of it, proving to Ken that it was indeed a pathetic   
situation and one that only he, Hidaka Ken, would find himself in.  
  
Omi hadn't, of course, said that, but it was what he was thinking   
and Ken blessed him for his ability to refrain from such comments -   
Youji wouldn't've managed to restrain himself.   
  
The youngest member of Weiß had left him then, satisfied with the   
confession, if not the situation and Ken had headed for the shop. Then   
he'd stopped short, frozen by the presence of his crush.  
  
And in such a flattering setting...  
  
He'd stared at the halo of fire that the afternoon sun made of   
his hair and the glow that it lent to his eyes as he worked on yet   
another flower arrangement, while behind him Youji watered the flowers,   
more of the sunlight sparking and refracting off the liquid. Caught by   
the scene, he didn't at first notice that Aya had turned to look at him   
until the other man's eyebrows went up then down, a slight wrinkle   
forming between his brows as he frowned.  
  
Ken started and began to blush before he had the chance to turn   
away. Fortunately for him, Aya wasn't the talkative type and merely   
turned back to his work without saying anything. And Ken had left, his   
colour still high and made his way to his apartment and the sanctuary   
of being alone.  
  
He pushed himself away from the door and crossed the room to drop   
onto the sofa, allowing his head to sink into his hands. Things were   
not going well with his plan to forget about things until they went   
away and he was now left with a choice. Continue to do nothing or take   
action.  
  
Problem was, any action he took was more likely than not going to   
end up with him in an even worse situation than he currently was. It   
was very, _very_ unlikely that Aya would return his feelings - whatever   
they were - if he did anything at all, and Ken hated the idea of either   
being rejected, or worse, laughed at. He had enough pride not to want   
to expose himself to the possibility of either happening - which   
basically made his decision for him.  
  
He was again going to do nothing, hope the whole thing went away,   
and be more careful about hiding things until it did.  
  
==========  
  
Slipping out of his trenchcoat, Aya hung it carefully in his   
wardrobe before heading back to his bed and the katana that lay there.   
Drawing it out of the black lacquered sheath, he ran a finger down the   
flat of the blade, glancing at the traces of blood that came off on his   
finger. He reached for the cloth he kept in his bedside table and sat   
down to polish the steel. He sat in the blueish moonlight that fell   
through the window and drew the cloth carefully along the blade to   
remove as many traces of blood as possible before running a very light   
coat of oil along the metal[1] and resheathing it.   
  
Sighing silently, he laid the blade across his lap and bowed his   
head, breathing deeply as he allowed himself - now that he was safely   
back at home - to go over the night's mission. It had become habit   
when he was with the first Weiß and the Crashers to dissect each   
mission following it's completion in order to find mistakes and learn   
from them. Even following his transferral to Weiß II, he'd continued   
the tradition, finding it useful for himself and dealing with the   
death, even if the other members of Weiß used other methods.   
  
Which reminded him...  
  
He glanced up and tilted his head to one side, listening for the   
sound of Youji approaching his front door. The older man had always   
found sex to be a relief from the many stresses of assassinations and   
after each mission since the beginning of their 'relationship' he had   
sought Aya out. He didn't mind much; the physical exercise did a good   
job of exhausting him into sleep and the warmth of sleeping with   
another body was a comfort at times. Not that he'd ever admit to it   
and refused to stay with Youji, despite the comfort, when he was drawn   
to the other assassin's room for their assignations instead of his own.  
  
Walking to the stand laid out for the purpose, he placed the   
katana reverently down and ran fingers over it, a tiny smile lifting   
the corners of his mouth. Such a beautiful piece of art.  
  
His thoughts drifted briefly back to his time with Shion and the   
first Weiß before following a train that led to his current teammates.   
Thoughts roaming over the past few years and various missions and other   
happenings, he moved into the small sitting room, absently noting the   
lack of anything remotely resembling personal effects and not caring in   
the least. All his momentoes were locked within his heart, snapshots   
and movies of the people most precious to him, complete with sound,   
smell and emotion.  
  
Amongst the many memories were a large number of Youji, the   
blonde having a habit of taking over his thoughts when he wasn't   
concentrating on something else, and Aya paused and glanced around   
again.  
  
A small frown crossed his face as he realised that the number of   
memories from the past fortnight were fewer in number than beforehand.   
Youji hadn't been around as much as previously, and when he was he   
always seemed to be busy doing something. Not that he hadn't seen   
Youji at all - in fact the few nights when Youji had slipped into his   
room had been amongst the best memories he'd ever had with the blonde.   
Instead of falling straight into bed, they'd started to get into the   
habit of sitting, curled up on the sofa with mugs of coffee and   
talking. Generally about the day, but occassionally venturing into   
deeper topics.  
  
Something had changed for Youji, something that effected   
everything else he did, and Aya was disgusted to notice that he was   
changing because of that. He was almost resigned to the fact that if   
things kept up the way they were going, he was going to fall in love -   
if he hadn't already. Which would at least establish that he liked   
their relationship and allow him to get on with it instead of existing   
in limbo as he had been.  
  
The Change... Aya turned it about in his head for awhile,   
wondering at the cause and coming to the reluctant conclusion that it   
was almost like the older man was in love. Which wouldn't be a bad   
thing, if it was Aya he'd fallen in love with - just the thought of   
that was enough to send his heatbeat to galloping - but was there   
anything to suggest such a thing?   
  
He found himself dreaming about it though, wondering what it   
would be like to spend winter evenings wrapped up in each other to keep   
warm and go for long walks in the rain, to hold hands and touch each   
other surreptitiously throughout the day.   
  
To have Youji in love with him... it made Aya breathless, unable   
to think.  
  
There was a tap on the front door and he blinked as the subject   
of his thoughts slipped in through the door, his eyes burning with a   
more gentle, but no less intense, heat than before the Change. Caught   
by the expression with his thoughts still tangled up in musings about   
love, Aya felt a sudden fierce blush climb from his neck, onto his   
cheeks and through to his ears.  
  
Youji's eyes widened and the younger man cursed himself and his   
too-pale colouring as the blonde took a few steps forwards and raised a   
hand to gently touch his cheek, "Aya?"  
  
Jerking his head away, Aya turned, making his way to the small   
kitchenette against the wall and began gathering things for the coffee,   
ignoring Youji's distracting presence as best he could and waiting   
impatiently for the flush to die. It did, eventually, and he finished   
the coffee in silence, handing a mug to the blonde as he headed for the   
sofa. He curled himself up in one corner and glanced at Youji through   
the veil of his bangs.  
  
The other man, his brows drawn into a frown stared at him for a   
few moments, coffee mug cradled in his hands. Then he moved, setting   
the cup on the coffee table and seating himself on the other edge,   
nearest to Aya. Hands reached out and cupped Aya's skull, turning his   
face upwards and tangling his fingers in red hair. Aya shivered, his   
heartrate picking up again.  
  
"Aya? What is it?" the smooth voice wrapped itself around him,   
being absorbed into every crevice of his being, filling him with his   
lover's essence. Newly, suddenly sensitive, his body also reacted and,   
embarassed by the loss of control, he blushed again, "I..."  
  
Something moved through verdant green eyes as gentle hands   
continued to hold him in a position that made it easy for them to gaze   
into each others eyes. Surprise, hope, expectation - all of these and   
more passed like quicksilver through those eyes and settled into   
something blank, almost defensive, "Hmm?"  
  
The sound was bland and Aya frowned as he stared back, searching   
for something he couldn't name that would confirm whatever was hovering   
tentatively in the back of his mind. Then it was gone and Aya's   
eyelids dropped to halfmast as he turned his eyes downwards, a small   
sigh leaving him.  
  
"Aya?"   
  
Jerking his eyes back up, the redhead stared some more. The   
slight waver in Youji's voice set his heart to pounding again and he   
lifted a hand to brush gentle fingers across the other man's dry lips.   
As soon as they'd drifted away to rest on Youji's cheek, a nervous   
tongue wet the lips, drawing Aya's attention and he moved forward a   
little, watching, detached, as his lover's eyes dilated slightly and a   
puff of air ghosted across his face.  
  
Aya smiled suddenly, a full curve of the lips with a showing of   
teeth and he closed the distance between them, his heart suddenly   
lighter, happier than he had been in a long long time.  
  
Now he knew.  
  
==========  
  
Freezing, Youji wondered why everything with Aya had to work   
differently than he thought it should. He'd come in here with the   
intention of seducing the redhead, giving them an outlet for the   
desires and frustrations raised during the mission only to have it   
completely subsumed by concern over Aya's strange behaviour and his   
silence. Yes, he was quiet, but he'd usually say _something_.  
  
After the concern came hope and fear as he wondered if Aya had   
decided. He'd known the redhead was still debating how wise their   
relationship was and that, given the river-like qualities of his   
emotions - smooth one moment, fast and violent the next, but always   
opaque - he was quite likely to say no to everything.  
  
He'd tried to corner Aya, get him to say something - tell him   
what was wrong - while busily trying to construct defences in case of   
the worst when the redhead had turned the tables again, leaving him   
achingly vulnerable in the wake of his gaze. Youji was more than   
fearful then - he was uncertain. He'd tried not to let Aya know, but   
he'd heard the shake in his voice and when the redhead had returned to   
staring at him he'd known he'd betrayed himself. Then the fingers,   
brushing against his lips and bringing desire rushing back to his veins   
again - but instead of the desperate heat, it was a thick, sweet syrup   
that dazed him and the next thing he knew, Aya's lips were on his, the   
smile he'd just given Youji - the beautiful smile - still lingering.  
  
His eyelids opened slowly as Aya drew back, finding it difficult   
to do in the wake of the lethargic lust throbbing through his veins.   
Lavender eyes were glinting with more than their usual warmth, he saw   
when he finally managed to focus and gentle fingers brushed against his   
cheek, stroking up into his hair and brushing an errant lock back into   
place. The fingers remained as Aya stood, the light touch directing   
Youji to join him and he followed quiescently to the bed where Aya sat,   
drawing him down into the softness then folding lean arms around   
Youji's form.  
  
Aya's breath drifted across the top of Youji's head and he felt   
the brief pressure of a kiss against the strands of hair. The warmth   
within him bloomed and he smiled to himself, suddenly knowing - somehow   
- that everything was going to be okay. His eyes drifted shut then,   
lulled into a deep, exhausted sleep by the stroking of Aya's fingers   
through his hair and the steady beat of his lover's heart against his   
ear.  
  
==========  
  
Ken woke the next morning, a strange feeling nagging at his mind   
as he went through his usual morning routine of a quick wash and   
breakfast. Then he stepped outside, heading downstairs to the   
flowershop for the early shift.   
  
He opened up, trying to pinpoint the nagging feeling and failing   
completely. It wasn't the date - there was nothing special about today   
- and he was pretty sure he hadn't forgotten anyone's birthday or   
anything like that. Omi arrived next, a little late, despite it's   
being a Sunday and Ken didn't notice him until the younger boy tapped   
him on the shoulder. He jumped a foot and finally replied to Omi's   
greeting, shrugging off the concerned questions with a frown that let   
Omi know he himself had no idea what was wrong.  
  
Gaggles of girls drifted in and out all morning, giggling and   
getting underfoot. He found them a little more irritating than he   
usually did and he could feel Omi watching him carefully. Ken could   
almost see the thoughts marching through the blonde's head - 'is the   
killing getting to him?' Ken would have reasssured him on that point   
if he'd had the chance, but given the amount of customers neither of   
them were even able to grab a break.   
  
Suddenly there was a lull in the shop's shifting population and   
Ken noticed that Aya and Youji were standing in the doorway, having   
somehow chosen the perfect time to arrive. Then Ken noticed that they   
were standing closer than usual and were talking quietly about   
something - the volume was too low for him to hear. Aya smiled   
abruptly, a breathtaking flash of teeth and sparkling eyes that left   
him a little short of breath and he dropped his gaze, cheeks flushing.   
  
'This stupid infatuation...' he thought to himself, finding his   
eyes fixed on Aya's hand which lifted to brush lightly against the back   
of Youji's before he moved away.   
  
Shocked, Ken lifted his head and stared at the tall blonde,   
noting the way green eyes followed the redhead, something that looked   
suspiciously like love dwelling there. He flipped his gaze to Aya and   
was eve more shocked by the identical look he shot back over his   
shoulder.  
  
He remained staring, not noticing when the redhead moved out of   
the path of his gaze, being too involved in trying to get his thoughts   
around the idea of Aya and _Youji_ together.   
  
He sighed when Omi tapped him for the second time and smiled   
ruefully, shrugging again.  
  
So that was the way things stood, which was fine by him -   
optimist that he was. If they could keep each other sane all well and   
good. Ken, if the infatuation-thing didn't go away, would just suffer   
in silence, have plenty of really good dreams and make sure Youji did   
the honourable thing. Odds were though, that, as he'd previously   
hoped, the whole thing would fade into nothing, especially now that he   
knew there was even less chance of anyhting happening with Aya.  
  
He sighed then smiled, satisfied with the way things stood, and   
went back to cutting the thorned from the roses that Aya would need for   
his next arrangement.  
  
===Owari===  
  
[1] Does one oil katana's? Ah well... 


End file.
